AUKSUCIAI FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

December, 1999 Annual Report of the “Auksuciai Foundation” and of the “Auksuciai Farm”

For background details on how the project developed, please VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

Vision Statement:

To assist in the development of Lithuanian Agriculture and Forestry focusing on helping small-scale farmers, and/or forest land owners to become self-sufficient and competitive in a free market economy. To improve understanding and usage of ecologically sound agricultural and forest land practices. To build understanding and cooperation through education and exchange programs. To nurture goodwill between the United States and Lithuania.

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The “Auksuciai Farm” in Lithuania is located 15 road kilometers (about 10 miles) northeast of Kursenai, County of Siauliai, Lithuania. At the beginning of 1999 the farm area consisted of 104.27 Hectares (257.55 acres) of land (of which 56 Ha (about 138.5 acres) of agricultural land with underground drains and 45.65 Ha (112.75 acres) of forests). Within that area 10 Ha is designated as the agricultural and forest research-teaching area; the rest of the area is used to plant cash producing crops in order to help support the experimental research and teaching activities.

In 1999 an American non-profit organization was created to promote, support and supervise this - the first of its type in Lithuania - research and teaching project. It had the support of the local government and the Ministry of Agriculture. This group volunteered their time and money to help in the development of this non-profit project whose purpose is to provide direct assistance to small-scale Lithuanian farmers.

In January, 1999 the “Auksuciai Foundation” was registered in the State of California as a non-profit, public benefit corporation. In August, 1999 The “Auksuciai Foundation” received a tax exempt status from the IRS, thus all contributions are now deductible from federal income taxes. A similar Not-for-Profit organization is being set up in Lithuania.

Highlights of the Activities of the “Auksuciai Foundation” and the accomplishments at the “Auksuciai Farm” during 1999 are presented below:

Early in the year there were severe problems with weeds that had grown in fields plowed a year earlier (a rather common occurrence in agricultural fields which had been neglected for many years). A professional group was engaged to control the weeds. An additional problem developed when beavers persisted in damming several major drainage ditches.

In January the Lithuanian Agricultural Consultation Service prepared a Farm Financial Plan with Cost Analysis (Verslo Planas). In June the Forest Owners Co-op “Aukstaitijos Silas” prepared a Forest Management Plan (Miskotvarkos Planas).

The Siauliai rajonas architect, Ms. Rasa Budryte, created a preliminary layout for the Center complex which ultimately will consist of some 10 to 18 buildings. After obtaining numerous government approvals the foundation of the first building - the farm managers’ house - was poured.

After receiving repeated assurances from the Siauliai rajonas and the County that an access road and an electrical line would be built by them in time, it was decided to hold an official groundbreaking ceremony in early July. Local and national newspapers, radio stations and TV covered this landmark ceremony. Radio Free Europe also carried a brief coverage.

The Groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 16 at the Auksuciai Farm site and at the nearby Gruzdziai agricultural school. Over 50 Lithuanian dignitaries, agricultural experts and foreign guests attended (from California came: Prof. C.O.Qualset, L.D.Clement, Mrs. H.White and V.J.Sliupas; from Texas - Prof. G.Hartman; from the East Coast - Bart Etter; from Venezuela - Aldona and Christina Echaniz; Mr. A.Kikutis - representative of German businesses in Lithuania. Local dignitaries: dr.E.Gedvilas, V.Kavaliauskas, D.Malinauskas, J.Bitkevicius, J.Dundulis, J.Gurciniene and poet S.Daunys also spoke). Seven ceremonial oak trees were planted, then guests were invited to place large foundation stones into the wet concrete of the farm’s first building.

In the afternoon a Symposium, entitled “Agricultural Developments in Northern Lithuania” was sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture (chaired by dr. Virginija Zostautiene). Greetings were read from Mrs. Alma Adamkiene, First Lady of Lithuania and from L.H.Ruth, Farm Co-op consultant from Sacramento,CA.).

Many distinguished speakers presented their papers: Agric. Univ. Prof. M.Treinys on “Village Development Problems”; Univ. of Calif. at Davis Prof. C.O.Qualset on “The Auksuciai Center”; Lith. Agric. Consultation Services dr. A.Malinauskas on “Perspectives for small and large farms”; Agric. Univ. Prof. P.Lazauskas on “Non-traditional farming in Lithuania”; Forest Inventory & Management Institute director dr. A.Kuliesis on “Problems of Privately Managed Forests”; Director of Gruzdziai Agric. School E.Gasparaitis on “Teaching Farms of Agricultural Schools - realities and perspectives”. The Seminar was concluded by the Lith. Science Council chairman and member of Dotnuva Academy Prof. L.Kadziulis. The rest of the evening was spent listening to a Musical Ensemble from Siauliai, visiting a special exhibition and enjoying Lithuanian food and non-alcoholic beverages.

In July a student exchange program between the US schools and the Siauliai University and the Gruzdziai agricultural school was discussed. A request to support the local village-level school was also received.

In October V.J.Sliupas, the originator of this project, and L.D.Clement, Univ. of Calif. Cooperative Extension Director/Farm Advisor, again visited Lithuania and the Auksuciai Farm (16th visit to Lithuania for V.Sliupas, and 5th visit for L.D.Clement). Soil samples were taken and were brought to Univ. of Calif. for analysis; local farmer Mr. L.Skatikas was hired to plow and cultivate farm fields with winter and spring crops; a prospective farm manager (who and wife recently returned from an extended farm work program in the USA) was interviewed for hiring next spring; negotiations were held with a contractor for erecting farm buildings next year; additionally, Kestutis J. Sliupas purchased with his own funds 32.86 Ha (81.2 acres) of agricultural land and 6 Ha (14.8 acres) of forest and assigned them to the Farm which is supporting the “Auksuciai” Experimental Center. First experimental asparagus seeds from USA were brought to the Gruzdziai agricultural school; seedlings will be nurtured by the students and later replanted at the Farm. Other experiments are planned for this winter and the next spring. In addition, a second experimental trial will be planted with canola as a “frozen ground” planting. This could be important to local farmers by allowing earlier harvest times and avoiding damage due to early fall rains. Discussed the possibility of jointly publishing a scientific book under the sponsorship of the Auksuciai Foundation with Prof. habil. dr. Petras Lazauskas of the Lithuanian Univ. of Agriculture and Mr. Lawrence Clement of the Univ. of California on Bio Mass management for optimum yields in various crops. Forests will be selectively cut this winter to obtain lumber for the proposed spring construction.

The Siauliai County administration finally built a 0.5 km. long, two-lane unpaved road, which was completed in mid-November. Hopefully, the promised electrical line will also be constructed by them next spring.

All these tasks required considerable expenditure of funds. Thus far the biggest cash contributors have been Vytautas and Vanda Sliupas (close to $60,000), Kestutis Sliupas ($10,000), Mrs. Grazina Liautaud ($5,000) and The Lith. Fund of Canada, The Lith. Citizens’ Soc. of Western Pennsylvania, dr. and Mrs. J. Valaitis, Eug.Vilkas, V.Lapatinskas, The White Knight Fund (each $1,000 or more) and many smaller contributors. The Siauliai rajonas Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture were likewise great contributors in supporting services. Thanks is due to our volunteers who have spent their money and devoted many hours working on the project and have used their own traveling funds: Lawrence D. Clement, Leland H. Ruth, Prof. Calvin O. Qualset, Prof. Gary Hartman, Mrs. Heather White, Mrs. Aldona Echaniz, Kestutis J. Sliupas and many others. Great thanks is due to our Honorary Directors in Lithuania for their continuous efforts and advise: Prof. Leonas Kadziulis, dr. Edvardas Gedvilas, Vladas Kavaliauskas, Darius Malinauskas and to the director of the Gruzdziai Agric. School Eduardas Gasparaitis, and to our Honorary Sponsors: Mrs. Alma Adamkiene, Professor Emeritus Dr. Czeslaw Milosz and Dr.Algirdas Avizienis. Thanks is due to the Lithuanian and the English language press for their splendid cooperation.

We estimate that an additional $150,000 will be needed by next spring for the construction of several houses and the purchase of tractors, trucks, plows, wagons, tools, seeds, to pay the salaries of hired farm workers, etc. We need to start using our own equipment rather than renting it at higher prices. Your support is essential to keep the project on track and to make certain our vision becomes a reality. For the “Auksuciai Foundation”, Vytautas J. Sliupas, P.E. President.

An Appeal to Our Present and Future Supporters

The Foundation has no paid administrative overhead. 100% of the donations received goes to support programs. The Plan includes a research, demonstration, and learning Center at the Auksuciai Farm. At this facility an Honor Roll of those Lithuanian-Americans and their world-wide friends who had the vision to make the program possible will be proudly exhibited. All the Foundation asks is for the opportunity to do what it can with donors’ help to provide a new direction and future for the Lithuanian agriculture.

If you would like to make a difference for Lithuanian farmers, make checks payable to THE AUKSUCIAI FOUNDATION and send to:

THE AUKSUCIAI FOUNDATION
2907 Frontera Way
Burlingame, CA 94010, USA

Please designate the family surname you wish to receive recognition.

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